Chapter 41: Forging Weapons and Feeding Horses to Meet the Rearguard Enemy; Crouching Like a Tiger in Wuqi to Deploy the Iron Formation

Chapter 41: Sharpening Blades to Meet the Rear Enemy; Crouching Like a Tiger and Deploying an Iron Formation in Wuqi

The Shaanbei plateau in late autumn was a vast expanse of desolate yellow. A piercing northwest wind whipped up the loess dust, sweeping across the gullied ravines and ridges with a mournful, howling sound. On October 20, 1935, the Shaanxi-Gansu Detachment of the Chinese Workers' and Red Army arrived at Wuqi Town. This force, having traversed thousands of mountains and rivers, finally came to a temporary halt on this yellow earth.

Wang Lin reined in his warhorse, standing on a high ground in Toudaochuan, and gazed into the distance. The undulating loess ridges formed natural barriers, while two main valleys—Toudaochuan and Daodaochuan—wound through them like giant dragons. This was prime terrain for an ambush.

"Report!" A communications soldier galloped over, handing up a piece of paper. "Regiment Commander, urgent orders from the Detachment Headquarters!"

Wang Lin took the order and scanned the text swiftly. Commander Peng's handwriting was vigorous and powerful: "The enemy's 3rd and 6th Cavalry Divisions are tailing us closely. We have decided to deal the enemy a heavy blow around Wuqi Town and sever their tail. Your Independent Regiment is ordered to deploy between Toudaochuan and Daodaochuan to take charge of the primary interception mission. This battle concerns the safety of the entire army; make sure you fight this concluding battle of the Long March well."

Wang Lin handed the order to Political Commissar Wang Guangdao beside him, his gaze once more sweeping toward the distant mountains and rivers. He took a deep breath; the air already carried the scent of an impending major battle.

"Communicator!" Wang Lin's voice was calm and steady. "Immediately summon all battalion commanders and independent company commanders to a meeting!"

In less than a quarter of an hour, the key commanders had gathered around Wang Lin. Battalion commanders Chen Ahai, Huang Musheng, and Zhou Zhiming stood at attention. Li Yunlong rubbed his hands together, his eyes flashing with a belligerent gleam, while Liu Gensheng, Zhang Hongtu, Zhong Guangbang, and Samarge all wore solemn expressions.

Wang Lin spread out the map while silently activating the [Marauder's Map Pro Max] system in his mind. In an instant, the surrounding terrain appeared before him in a three-dimensional holographic format, with every ravine and highland clearly visible. The system automatically marked optimal shooting points, concealment positions, and likely enemy advance routes.

"Comrades," Wang Lin's voice was not loud, but it possessed great penetrating power, clearly audible amidst the howling wind, "the Kuomintang cavalry have been biting at our heels for a long time. Now, the superiors have decided right here,"—he slapped his hand heavily onto the map—"to completely hack off this annoying tail!"

He swept his gaze around the circle, seeing resolute faces filled with fighting spirit. These soldiers, who had marched all the way from the bloody battles of the Xiang River, had long since been tempered into iron warriors.

"Our regiment's mission is as follows." Wang Lin began his deployment while the system's [Tactical Simulation Analysis] function operated at high speed to provide him with the optimal force allocation plan.

"1st and 2nd Battalions," his gaze fell upon Chen Ahai and Huang Musheng, "you are responsible for the mountainous terrain on both sides of Toudaochuan. Ahai, your battalion holds the left flank; Musheng, your battalion holds the right. You must construct multi-layered defensive positions, placing heavy machine guns on the high points to form intersecting fires. The enemy cavalry look impressive when they charge, but once they enter this valley, they've entered the gates of hell!"

"Understood!" the two replied in unison, a gleam of confidence flashing in their eyes.

"3rd Battalion," Wang looked at Zhou Zhiming, "your unit will conceal itself on the flank and rear of Daodaochuan. Once the enemy main force has fully entered the ambush circle and fallen into chaos under our frontal interception, push forward rapidly to tie the knot and cut off the enemy's retreat!"

"Guaranteed mission accomplished!" Zhou Zhiming answered steadily.

"Liu Gensheng!"

"Present!" The mortar company commander straightened his posture.

"Your mortars and 'Iron Pipe Thunders' are our regiment's trump cards," Wang Lin said. "Pre-sight all artillery coordinates to cover the enemy's likely assault routes and assembly areas. Especially those narrow passes," he pointed to several key points on the map, "I want your shells to land like they have eyes right where the enemy is densest!"

"Rest assured, Regiment Commander! Our cannons aren't for show!" Liu Gensheng was full of confidence.

"Zhang Hongtu!"

"Present!" The reconnaissance company commander stepped forward.

"Take your men forward to scout and closely monitor enemy movements. I want to know their every single move!"

"Understood!"

"Samarge!"

"Regiment Commander!" The young Yi ethnic company commander's eyes were bright.

"Your cavalry company will stand by on the flank. The moment the enemy collapses, charge out immediately and pursue and annihilate the remnant enemy!"

"Yes!" Samarge's voice suppressed excitement.

Finally, Wang Lin's gaze landed on Li Yunlong. "Old Li."

"Here, Regiment Commander!" Li Yunlong could no longer wait. "What is our 4th Battalion doing? We can't just stand by while others eat meat!"

Wang Lin smiled slightly. "You and the regiment's direct-subordinate units will act as the overall reserve, under my direct command. There will be plenty of battle to fight; the key is to seize the right timing and deliver a fatal blow with a single strike!"

Li Yunlong grinned. "Deal! That's just what I like to do!"

Wang Lin's expression turned serious. "All battalions and companies must strictly enforce the 'three-three system' firing discipline, conserve ammunition, and pursue lethal efficiency. Infantry-artillery coordination must be seamless, with signal flares as the order."

With the deployment completed, the commanders quickly returned to their units and began intensive pre-battle preparations.

Political Commissar Wang Guangdao immediately organized political work cadres to go deep into each company for mobilization. "Comrades!" he stood before a group of soldiers, his voice resonant. "This is the final battle of our Long March! Fight this battle well, and we can securely enter the Shaanbei base area! Make the enemy forever remember the prestige of the 'Iron-Blood Rear-Guard Tiger Regiment'!"

The soldiers were filled with high morale. Shouts of "Resolutely annihilate the enemy!" and "Draw a successful period to the Long March!" echoed through the valley.

Li Yunlong patrolled back and forth across the 4th Battalion's position, inspecting every soldier's equipment. "Get your spirits up for me!" he roared in a rough voice. "Are your bayonets sharpened? Hang your grenades on your chests! There will be a battle to fight; when the time comes, obey orders—charge when told to charge, hack when told to hack!"

Night fell, but no one slept among the mountains of Wuqi Town. The entire army worked through the night constructing fortifications. The sounds of pickaxes striking earth, the soldiers' low-voiced communications, and the occasional whinny of mules and horses intertwined in the cold night sky.

Wang Lin patrolled the positions, pausing from time to time to guide the construction of fortifications. "Move this machine gun nest ten meters further forward for a better field of fire." "Set up a few more tripwires here." "Dig the foxholes deeper and reinforce the tops."

He looked up toward the distant Pingtai Mountain, where faint lights could still be seen flickering. He knew the central leadership was there, commanding the overall situation. This trust made the burden on his shoulders feel exceptionally heavy.

In the small hours of the morning, Zhang Hongtu brought back the latest intelligence: "Regiment Commander, the enemy vanguard is now less than twenty miles away. It's Ma Peiqing's regiment, pure cavalry."

Wang Lin nodded, his gaze sweeping over the positions already standing at strict readiness, over the faces of the soldiers resting behind their fortifications. Among them were veterans who had survived the bloody battles of Guilin and the Xiang River, new recruits supplemented in Guizhou, Yi ethnic soldiers who had joined after the Yihai Alliance, and backbone cadres transferred from the Fourth Front Army. This was an iron army truly forged in the fires of war.

"Attention everyone," Wang Lin's voice spread across all positions via messengers. "The enemy is about to enter the ambush circle. Take your positions; no firing without orders!"

The eastern sky gradually turned fishbelly white, and morning mist drifted through the mountains, draping a layer of natural camouflage over the ambush positions. Wang Lin stood at the command post, raising his binoculars. In the distance, a plume of dust gradually rose, growing closer and closer.

The battle was on the verge of breaking out.

The biting cold wind whistled through the mountain ridges on both sides of Toudaochuan, and the whipped-up sand and dust struck the soldiers' faces with a stinging pain. On the positions, apart from the wind, there was only suppressed breathing and the occasional soft clink of weapons colliding.

Wang Lin stood at the command post, leaning forward, his binoculars slowly sweeping across the valley. The [Marauder's Map Pro Max] system operated at full speed in his mind, presenting the enemy's position, speed, and formation with precise data streams. Every red dot represented an enemy, currently converging like a stream into this valley of death.

"Regiment Commander," Zhang Hongtu's voice came over the telephone, suppressing excitement, "an enemy vanguard company has completely entered the ambush circle, with the main force following closely behind. Their formation is loose and completely unalert."

Wang Lin did not answer immediately, his eyes locked on that approaching cavalry force in the valley. The sound of horse hooves grew from distant to near, striking every soldier's heart like a dull war drum. He could clearly see the white mist exhaled by the enemy soldiers and even hear their occasional snatches of conversation.

"Wait a little longer..." Wang Lin's voice was low and steady. "Let the main force all come in."

Time ticked away second by second, each second feeling as long as a century. The soldiers' fingers clamped tightly onto their triggers, sweat sliding from their temples to freeze into beads of ice in the cold air. Li Yunlong paced back and forth on the reserve position like a trapped tiger.

Finally, when the very last enemy soldier fully stepped into the ambush circle, a cold glint flashed in Wang Lin's eyes.

"Signal flares! Open fire!"

Three red signal flares shot into the sky simultaneously, like three bloody scars slashing across the dawn horizon.

In an instant, the entire Toudaochuan seemed to be heavily gripped by a giant hand and then violently ripped apart!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Liu Gensheng's mortar company struck first. Fifteen 82mm mortars and five 60mm mortars roared in unison, shells screaming shrilly as they smashed toward the enemy marching column. The first volley accurately blanketed the middle section of the enemy formation, the explosions connecting into a sheet of fire with shrapnel flying everywhere, instantly turning men and horses upside down.

"Reload! Rapid fire!" Liu Gensheng's roar echoed across the artillery positions. The gunners' movements were mechanical and swift—extracting shells, loading, locking, firing—the entire process flowing like water.

But something even more terrifying followed. The "Iron Pipe Thunder" roared with earth-shattering volume! Several specially crafted heavy explosive packs dragged fiery tails, drawing flat arcs as they accurately plunged into the densest parts of the enemy formation.

"Rumble—!!!"

Earth-shaking explosions occurred in succession, the huge shockwave tossing enemy men and horses like falling leaves. A panicked horse was blown to pieces saddle and all, and a bloody mist instantly enshrouded the entire valley. The intense vibration made even the soldiers dug into the mountains feel the earth tremble.

"Fire! Give it to them hard!" Chen Ahai roared at the top of his lungs from the 1st Battalion's position.

In a flash, countless tongues of fire erupted from the mountain ridges on both sides of Toudaochuan. The dull "thud-thud" of heavy machine guns, the crisp "tat-tat-tat" of light machine guns, and the dense "bang-bang" of rifles wove together into a symphony of death. Bullets poured down like pouring water, yet with precise rhythm.

"Three-three system! Pay attention to three-three system firing!" The shouts of platoon and company commanders rose and fell amidst the gunfire. "Group one fire! Group two prepare! Group three observe!"

The soldiers strictly executed pre-battle training, dividing each squad into three groups to take turns firing, loading, and observing, maintaining continuous and accurate firepower. Bullets drilled into the enemy ranks as if guided by eyes, each volley stirring up a patch of blood.

The enemy in the valley was instantly plunged into extreme chaos.

"It's an ambush! We've been ambushed!" an enemy officer shouted at the top of his lungs, waving his saber in an attempt to organize resistance, but the next moment a bullet struck him squarely between the eyebrows, unseating him from his horse.

The horses panicked, neighing and running wild in all directions, throwing their riders to the ground. Some enemy soldiers tried to dismount to find cover, only to be picked off one by one by plunging fire from above. Others whipped their mounts desperately, trying to charge out of this zone of death.

"Don't panic! Don't panic! Organize a counterattack!" an enemy battalion commander was still trying to maintain order, but the next instant a mortar shell scored a direct hit, turning him and his horse into a bloody mist.

Bullets whistled past ears, striking rocks and throwing off sparks. The gunpowder smoke choked the breath from lungs, and the stench of blood mixed with gunpowder formed a sickening aura. Soldiers were continuously hit and fell, medics moving back and forth across the position defying the hail of bullets.

"Machine gunner! One o'clock direction, enemy officer!" the spotter called out loudly.

"Got it!" The machine gunner slightly adjusted the muzzle and fired a short burst; that enemy officer waving his pistol collapsed on cue.

Wang Lin observed the battlefield situation calmly from the command post, continuously issuing instructions: "Order the 3rd Battalion, charge! Tie the knot!"

Signalmen immediately waved flags. Zhou Zhiming, having waited for this moment for a long time, immediately led the 3rd Battalion out from the flank and rear of Daodaochuan, swiftly cutting off the enemy's retreat.

"It's over! The retreat is cut off!" The surviving enemy troops were plunged into despair.

Just at this moment, about a hundred enemy soldiers led by a fierce company commander suddenly launched a desperate counter-assault against the junction of the 1st Battalion's positions. This contingent of enemy troops was exceptionally fierce, actually pushing halfway up the mountain under dense firepower.

"Regiment Commander, the 1st Battalion's junction is tight! 2nd Company has heavy casualties!" the communicator reported with an anxious face.

Wang Lin knitted his brows, about to deploy the mobile reserve when he heard the telephone ring urgently.

"Regiment Commander! I'm Li Yunlong!" an urgent voice came through the receiver. "Let old Li lead the men up! The enemy's momentum is fading, their flank is completely exposed, and a single counter-charge will drive them down!"

Wang Lin observed the battlefield through his binoculars; artillery shells exploded nearby, shaking dust down from the roof of the command post. He saw that although the enemy force was fierce, their flank was indeed empty and they were at the end of their tether.

"Approved! Take your 1st Company up, finish it quickly, and don't get bogged down!"

"Understood!" Li Yunlong dropped the telephone and roared, "4th Battalion 1st Company, follow me!"

Li Yunlong personally led the team, charging out from the flank like a tiger descending a mountain. The soldiers first threw a line of grenades, and before the explosions had faded, they had launched a counter-assault with fixed bayonets.

"Charge!" Li Yunlong took the lead, wielding a broadsword to hack left and right with unstoppable valor. An enemy soldier raised his rifle to shoot, but was hacked down by a single blow; another soldier thrust forward with a bayonet, and Li Yunlong dodged sideways, returning a backhand stroke that ended the fellow's life.

Seeing their battalion commander display such valor, the soldiers' morale soared as they surged forward in a fierce charge. Bayonets flashed red, blood and flesh flew. This enemy force was already at the end of its tether, and facing such a fierce counterattack, they immediately collapsed into a rout.

"Well fought!" Wang Lin couldn't help praising from the observation post, while ordering, "Artillery, extend fire, cover the enemy depth!"

Shells leaped over the Red Army positions like guided missiles, crashing toward the enemy ranks trying to regroup. Every explosion kicked up a patch of severed limbs and broken arms.

By now, the entire Toudaochuan had turned into a Shambles. The enemy was completely compressed into the narrow valley, unable to advance or retreat. Corpses and horse carcasses littered the ground, blood staining the loess and pooling into puddles of red in the depressions.

Some enemy soldiers tried to dismount and raise their hands in surrender, but enemy officers still putting up desperate resistance shot the surrendering troops, forcing them to continue fighting.

"Order all battalions, step up firepower, and resolve the battle as soon as possible!" Wang Lin commanded. "Give special attention to those officers and machine gunners still resisting!"

Snipers began picking targets one by one, and enemy heavy fire points were knocked out one after another. An enemy soldier had just set up a light machine gun when a bullet struck him in the forehead; an officer waving his pistol suddenly blossomed with blood on his chest.

Deprived of command, the enemy finally collapsed completely. Remnant soldiers threw down their weapons in droves. Cries of "We surrender! Don't shoot!" rose and fell in succession.

Sunlight pierced through the gunpowder smoke, shining down on this land that had just experienced a bloody battle. Gunfire gradually thundered down, leaving only sporadic combat and shouts of "Spare your lives if you drop your arms."

Wang Lin stepped out of the command post to inspect the battlefield. The soldiers were treating the wounded and rounding up prisoners, everyone's face carrying an expression of exhaustion yet excitement. The gunpowder smoke had not yet cleared, and the air was filled with a heavy stench of blood and gunpowder.

The final battle of the Long March was won.

The gunpowder smoke had not yet dissipated, and Toudaochuan was suffused with a heavy mixture of blood and gunpowder. The morning sun rose fully, bathing the battle-scarred land in a golden glow, while also exposing the devastation and sacrifice.

Wang Lin stood on the high ground, overlooking the battlefield. In the valley, corpses of men and horses interlocked, blood soaked into the loess, pooling into dark red marshes in the depressions. Masterless horses wandered and neighed in terror, and injured enemy soldiers groaned in pain on the ground. Red flags fluttered in the wind on both mountain peaks, and soldiers moved busily through the smoke, collecting weapons, guarding prisoners, and assisting the wounded.

"Report, Regiment Commander!" A staff officer ran over briskly, his face carrying exhaustion mixed with excitement from the fierce battle. "Preliminary statistics show this battle routed about two enemy cavalry regiments, with heavy casualties and numerous prisoners; exact numbers are still being tallied. Our regiment suffered over two hundred casualties, among whom eighty-nine were killed in action, sixty-five severely wounded, and the rest lightly wounded. Each battalion is currently reforming and tallying the results."

Wang Lin's heart sank slightly. Over two hundred good brothers had remained forever in this final battle of the Long March. He took a deep breath of the cold air tasting of gunpowder, suppressed the heartache in his chest, and ordered: "Order the medical corps to treat the wounded with all their might, making no distinction between our army and prisoners! Organize the transport battalion to immediately assist in transferring the severely wounded to the rear aid station, giving priority to captured medicines!"

"Yes!" The communicator quickly ran off to relay the order.

"Old Li," Wang Lin looked at Li Yunlong, who was directing soldiers to collect weapons. "Take your 4th Battalion men and cooperate with the various battalions in clearing the battlefield. Carefully collect weapons and ammunition—not a single bullet must be missed! Those intact saddles, horse gear, and leather bags are good items; gather them all up."

"Don't worry, Regiment Commander! I guarantee it'll be cleaned out so thoroughly not even a hair will be left for the enemy!" Li Yunlong grinned, waving his big hand to urge his men to work even harder.

Wang Lin's gaze turned toward the depths of the valley and the distant mountain ridges, where sporadic gunfire and horse hooves could still be heard—scattered enemy cavalry making a final struggle or fleeing.

"Samarge!" Wang Lin called out.

"Present!" The young Yi ethnic company commander strode over, still carrying the fierce aura from the charge, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

"See those stragglers?" Wang Lin pointed into the distance. "Take your cavalry company and charge immediately! Pursue and eliminate the remnant enemy, taking as many alive as possible! But your primary mission is to chase back every single runaway horse without leaving a single one behind! Those are precious assets of our Red Army!"

"Understood! Guaranteed to drive all the horses back!" Excitement bloomed on Samarge's face; this was a cavalryman's favorite mission. He turned, vaulted into the saddle, drew his shining saber, and shouted a few words in the Yi language to the cavalry troopers who had long been assembled and waiting. One hundred and twenty Yi horsemen let out howling roars, like un sheathed blades, instantly splitting into several groups and sweeping like a whirlwind across the vast loess plains.

Horse hooves thundered like lightning, saber lights flashing. The cavalry company troopers displayed superb horsemanship and innate hunting instincts. They didn't blindly charge; instead, they skillfully utilized the ravine terrain to encircle and outflank, splitting up and surrounding small bands of enemy troops attempting resistance or flight.

"Drop your weapons! The Red Army treats prisoners well!" the soldiers shouted loudly in halting Mandarin and Yi.

Most of the soul-shattered enemy troops had long lost their will to fight; seeing the Red Army cavalry chase them down, they dismounted and knelt to beg for mercy. The occasional stubborn diehard attempting resistance or flight was instantly knocked from his saddle by the flat of a passing horseman's saber or accurately snared and dragged down by a lariat, quickly subdued and bound by the following soldiers.

Chasing horses was their specialty. Samarge took the lead, spotting a robust military horse running wild in panic. Approaching from the rear flank, he leaned over to grab the reins, skillfully using the horse's momentum to swing himself steadily onto its bare back. A few soothing pats calmed the mount. Other troopers also showed their prowess, using lassos or coordinated driving to gather up the scattered horses one by one.

Wang Lin observed the cavalry company's mop-up operation through his binoculars from the command post, nodding in satisfaction. Samarge and his cavalry company truly did not disappoint, acting swiftly and efficiently, minimizing unnecessary bloodshed and preserving precious horse resources.

By noon, the battlefield had been essentially cleared. Samarge's cavalry company returned in triumph, escorting the final batch of prisoners and driving hundreds of horses before them. Organized by commanders at all levels, the soldiers began burying the martyrs' remains, burning enemy corpses collectively (to prevent pestilence), and digging deeper fortifications to guard against potential enemy counterattacks.

A relatively complete casualty and loot tally was handed to Wang Lin:

Enemy casualties and injuries: roughly over 1,600 cavalry.
Prisoners: 485 officers and men; 217 wounded collected (including some severe cases).
Booty: 832 intact warhorses, 105 pack horses; over 610 cavalry/carbine rifles, 18 light machine guns, 4 heavy machine guns, 2 mortars, over 500 sabers, countless rounds of various ammunition, 1 radio, along with large quantities of military rations, uniforms, and medicine.

Looking at this heavy list of achievements, Wang Lin finally wore a relieved smile. The Wuqi Town Ambush, this concluding battle of the Long March, was fought brilliantly, completely severing the tail of pursuing troops and forging the resounding prestige of the "Fierce Tiger Regiment"!

"Cable the Detachment Headquarters," Wang Lin dictated the victory report to the staff officer. "Our unit successfully ambushed the enemy pursuing force in Toudaochuan. After a fierce battle, we have routed two vanguard regiments of the enemy's 3rd Cavalry Division, killing, wounding, and capturing a great many, and seized a large batch of weapons and horses. The battlefield is now essentially secured, and the remnant enemy has fled far away. Our unit is currently cleaning the battlefield and resting the troops. Independent Regiment of the Shaanxi-Gansu Detachment of the Chinese Workers' and Red Army, Wang Lin, Wang Guangdao."